MeynConsult is the name of what used to be my web consultancy. From time to time I engage into projects. It depends on the project.

Over the last (soon) eight years I’ve been full-time employed. Like most I also depend on a steady income. Web Projects, graphics design and content writing is a way to stay updated on technology and development. Plus it’s (nerdy) fun to tinker or potter with it.

I’ve been working with graphics and desktop publishing since late 80s. And hopped on web related things when the internet emerged. But that is another story.

Some advice

You can find many brilliant web design solutions if you search on the net. For the most part, affordable too. But there is no “One Size Fits All”. Based on my experience the following is of importance:

• Clean design: go for clean design, with minimal pizzazz.
  • While cool stuff might impress the first time viewed, it quickly loses its shine.
  • There are many brilliant templates that can be customized to your needs. For WordPress, start here (for instance)
• KISS (Keep it simple stupid). Why do it complicated if you can do it simple?
• Off-shelf solutions means better support. Buy a license for a template/theme. Many themes comes with 12 months support included. And you can extend it for as long as the theme is supported. Not uncommonly also beyond that.
• Focus on your content: Given that you want to be found, or your business / products to be found, content is key. It always is. And it doesn’t end when your site is up. Quite the contrary, that’s when the journey begins!
• Search engine optimization (SEO): this is very important: it’s not enough to provide or produce (a lot of) content. It needs to be written in a way that makes it easy to understand. And with clear document structure. Fortunately there are tools that can aid you (SEO analysis, AI etc).
• Don’t let AI write your content! This has developed into a thing. But you need to be careful. Use AI as an assistant or helping tool, not as an author. Google and other search engines are evolving and might discriminate a page if it’s obviously not human made.
• Don’t copy or clone content. Google and other search engines are perfectly capable of detecting clones. Whether on your own site, or other sites. Copying or cloning can impact ranking, on a page or a site as a whole.

Worth considering

Avoid (highly) customized solutions. Choose the simple, or standard. Choose something that will be supported by the original author or developer. WordPress is a content management that for most will be adequate. It is also a vast universe. Most of the things you need are either for free, or doesn’t cost a fortune.

It is easy to get lost among all the options. Asking for (professional) help can save you time and trouble. First time fanciness may become tomorrows nuisance. For the general public, your visitors and users.

Facebook or website?

Many appears to think that, for instance, a Facebook page can replace a (personal) website. But Facebook and other social media platforms firstly look after themselves. You get a channel, a stream if you like, they get more traffic. What you don’t get, is a personalized interface, independent from everything else.

This compromise might work for some people. And of course, having your own website, whether for company or private use, might imply more work. Think of the concept of web presence as a oaken wheel. Your domain, and website, is your hub. Social media are you spokes.

Choose the spokes that seems the most logical or relevant for your purpose. And stick to those.

MeynConsult projects

Below a selection of some running projects.